Article
Cardiometabolic Benefits with AstaReal® Astaxanthin
By: Karen Hecht
February 24, 2023
February 24, 2023
New Study Shows AstaReal® Astaxanthin Can Help Kickstart an Exercise Program.
A study led by Dr. Hunter Waldman at the University of North Alabama showed that supplementation with 12 mg/day AstaReal® Astaxanthin for 4 weeks lowered heart rate and carbohydrate oxidation levels in overweight individuals during exercise.
Results of the 2017-2018 survey by the Division of Health and Nutrition Examination revealed that 73.6% of American adults were overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). Excess fat mass increases risk for cardiometabolic disease, chronic low-grade inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction.
Exercise training can improve metabolic flexibility; increasing fat oxidation and reducing carbohydrate utilization in lean individuals. However, overweight and obese individuals have reduced metabolic flexibility, relying more on carbohydrates for energy, and having impaired fat mobilization and utilization. Improving metabolic flexibility in overweight individuals may help to maintain fat and energy balance at a lower fat mass.
Overweight men and women in this study underwent a graded exercise test on a stationary bicycle before and after supplementation with 12 mg/day AstaReal® Astaxanthin. After supplementation, the AstaReal® group showed a 7% decrease in heart rate across the exercise test compared to baseline (p<0.001), while the placebo group did not (p = 0.26). Furthermore, the AstaReal® group had significantly lower carbohydrate oxidation rates after supplementation compared to baseline (p = 0.02).
Dr. Waldman commented that, “Research from a number of labs, including my own, suggests that astaxanthin supplementation is an effective method for enhancing the metabolic benefits of exercise in individuals of varying fitness levels.”
Click here to access this original research study.
Next Article
Current Newsletter
